Fountain-pen retainer.



W. A. SHEAFFBR.

FOUNTAIN PEN RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1912.

vside elevation of a cap thereof in longitudinal section and the WALTER A. SHEAIFFER, 0F FORT MADISON, IOWA.

FOUNTAIN-PEN RETAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1913.

Application tiled March 21, 1912. Serial No. 685,274.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER A. SHEAFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Madison, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fountain-Pen Retainers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fountain pen retainers used in connection with the caps or covers of fountain pens, lead pencils and similar articles for temporarily securing them to the clothing of the user usually to the pocket of a coat or vest.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient device of this character which will reliably hold the pen in engagement with the pocket without danger of tearing the fabric.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts and the construction of certain of the parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Fi ure l represents a perspective view of an or inary fountain pen equipped with this retainer disposed in operatlve position. Fig. 2 is a en with the protecting retainer in place thereon. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment illustrated a fountain pen A of ordinary construction is shown provided with the usual cap or cover B. The cap B is provided with a longitudinal slot 1 extending preferably from the closed end inward and gradually decreasing in depth toward its inner terminal, the bottom of said terminal being preferably beveled or inclined. A socket EZ'eXtends at right angles from the outer end of the slot 1 and has a resilient member 3 housed therein, said member being preferably in the form of a coiled spring. A lever 4 referably composed of sheet metal is proviv ed near one enfl with oppositely disposed perforated ears 5 which fit withm the slot 1 and are held in place by a rivet 6 which constitutes the pivot on Whichthe retainin lever may be rocked. The short end of sai lever beyond the ears is straight and the longer end thereof is bowed or curved longitudinally outward and is provided at its terminal with a smooth rounded enlargement 7 which is designed to engage the fabric forced between it and the cap and securely grip it without penetrating it or otherwise marring it. This rounded end is preferably curved slightly outward to facilitate the insertion of the fabric thereunder. The outer face of the straight end of the lever l when applied is arranged flush with the outer face of the cap, the curved longer end being the only portion which projects beyond the face ofthe cap and hence there is little danger of the device becoming engaged with extraneous objects and the pen accidentally withdrawn from the pocket. The spring 3 exerts its tension to force the short end of the lever 1 outwardly and its long end inwardly thereby causing the terminal of said long end to resiliently engage the outer face of the cap and when the edge of the pocket is forced thereunder it securely clamps it between said end and the cap. To remove the pen from the pocket it is only necessary to exert an upward pull thereon which causes the rounded free end of the lever to slide oil' the fabric of the pocket without in any way injuring it.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the closed end of the cap B is provided with a socket 2 having a stop shoulder 2 in its upper wall with which the upper or short end of the lever 4 engages when the lower end of the same is forced outwardly from the cap, whereby the space formed by the socket adjacent to the upper end thereof is completely closed thereby protecting the pen point from dust or other accumulations that would otherwise gain access to the interior of the cap.

This efficient little device consists of three parts only and may he inexpensively manufactured and applied to any fountain pen cap or similar object.

I claim as my invention In combination with a cap for fountain pens having a longitudinal slot and asocket formed in rear thereof, of a retainer; forming a part of the cap and comprising a lever pivotally secured to the same with its u per end located in the longitudinal slot o the cap and normally closing the same, a stop shoulder formed in the upper wall of the w y f Loetpoe a socket against which the upper end of the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set lever is adapted to contact, and a spring lomy hand in presence of two subscribing witcated in said socket and bearing against the nesses. confined upper end of the lever, the lower WALTER A. SHEAFFER. 5 long end of the latter projecting outwardly Witnesses: v f from its pivotal connection with the cap for JAMES C. BREWSTER, the purposes described. AMBA lB. GARRoTr. 

